Thailand's House of Representatives on Wednesday voted Somchai Wongsawat, acting prime minister and deputy leader of the People Power Party, as the country's new prime minister.

House Speaker Chai Chidchob announced that Somchai's nomination was backed by 298 votes after a one-by-one role-call tally that lasted for about one hour.

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who was appointed acting Prime Minister by the caretaker government, speaks at a news conference in Bangkok on September 11, 2008, after six ruling coalition partners agree to let the biggest party, People Power, pick a new prime minister.[Xinhua/Reuters Photo]

The other candidate, Abhisit Vejjajiva, party leader of the sole opposition Democrat Party, got 163 votes. Five MPs have abstained.

Somchai was supported by the PPP and the other five coalition parties in the caretaker government.

Somchai thanked all the MPs who have voted for him when the House Speaker concluded the voting results.

The voting session convened at 9:30 a.m. (0230GMT) as scheduled. Finally 466 out of a total 470 members of parliament, showed up for the voting.

A 61-year-old with rich experience in judicial matters, Somchai will become Thailand's 26th Prime Minister, succeeding Samak Sundaravej, who was disqualified as premier by a Constitutional Court verdict on September 9, which found him in breach of the charter by hosting TV cooking shows while in office.

Somchai is brother-in-law of ousted Thaksin Shinwatra and former Justice Ministry permanent secretary. He served as deputy prime minister and education minister in the Samak cabinet before being appointed as acting premier to head the caretaker government.

Samak missed Wednesday's voting as he was reportedly still on the way to the parliament when the session ended at around 10:30 a.m. (0330GMT).

The voting to elect a new PM had been adjourned to Wednesday from last Friday after fractions of the PPP, and the other smaller five coalition parties voiced opposition to the PPP's earlier decision to reinstall Samak as prime minister. The last-minute exodus of a large number of MPs led to a lack of quorum in the House, hence the postponement.

A soft and moderate character, and relatively good relationship with the opposition Democrat are deemed the strengths of Somchai, which his backers believe will help negotiate with the anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has led protesters to occupy the Government House for more than 20 days, and sort a way out of the current political impasse.

Somchai Wongsawat (C), deputy leader of People Power Party, smiles after being elected as Thailand's 26th Prime Minister with 298 votes in a voting in the House of Representatives in Bangkok, September 17, 2008. [Xinhua Photo]

Shortly after the voting concluded, two PAD core leaders Chamlong Srimuang and Somsak Kosaisuk held a news conference to affirm that the group does not accept Somchai because he is a nominee of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Somchai was married to Yaowapa, the younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin, and a former MP of the Thaksin-founded former ruling party Thai Rak Thai. Her voting right was revoked when the party was dissolved in May, 2007. Their daughter Chinnicha is the youngest female MP in the current House of Representatives.

Somchai's appointment as premier is pending royal endorsement by the King.

After that, the six coalition parties will set up a new government quickly, said PPP deputy leader and caretaker justice minister Sompong Amornwiwat.

He also suggested that there could be a small reshuffle from the current caretaker cabinet.

Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thuagsuban warned the new prime minister against any drastic acts that might challenge public feelings, such as amending the 2007 Constitution, granting amnesty to politicians – referring to the 111 former Thai Rak Thai party executives who were banned from electoral process along with the party's dissolution.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2008)